UNCLTRD chapter 10

The conversation between the two men hadn’t gone well. Yang Shao assumed that someone as dignified as Chen Qiusu would leave when his pride was hurt. Surprisingly, he stayed quietly by their side.

Putting aside the fact that Chen Qiusu was a scumbag, his striking appearance and strong pheromones naturally drew attention. Omegas passing by couldn’t help but glance at him, then at Yang Shao, who was seated opposite him.

Unlike Chen Qiusu, who sat calmly, Yang Shao was easily irritated. He hated being stared at like a monkey but couldn’t leave.

Yang Tao hadn’t come to the fast-food restaurant for the food. After eating less than half of his kids’ meal, he ran off to the play area—his real reason for coming.

Once Yang Tao was gone, Chen Qiusu seized the opportunity to speak. “About the insurance payout, I’ll check with my staff. There might have been an issue with communication.”

Yang Shao didn’t care what he said. He didn’t believe a single word from the insurance company, let alone their boss. They were all cut from the same cloth, conspiring together. He sucked on his straw and gave Chen Qiusu a side-eye.

Realizing his words lacked credibility, Chen Qiusu awkwardly cleared his throat. He didn’t want to argue but knew the only way to communicate effectively was through a calm conversation. He decided to approach Yang Shao’s current situation instead.

“Are you… married? Who’s the other guardian of Yang Tao?”

Yang Shao gave him a cold look. “Dead.”

Chen Qiusu was stunned, then finally replied, “I’m sorry…”

“There’s nothing to apologize for.”

When it came to emotions and intimacy, Chen Qiusu had his own standards and principles. Yang Shao was the first—and only—person he’d ever been with. Because of this, he felt a lingering sense of responsibility toward him. This responsibility compelled him to keep an eye on Yang Shao’s life.

If he provided material compensation, it would turn their past into a mere financial transaction, something Chen Qiusu couldn’t accept. But without material support, he couldn’t think of another way to make amends.

No matter Yang Shao’s attitude, Chen Qiusu felt obligated to make himself clear. “I’ll say it again: if you need anything, just ask. As long as it’s within my power, I’ll do it.”

Yang Shao wasn’t a fool. After hearing the same thing twice, he understood what Chen Qiusu was implying.

Maybe he didn’t know Yang Tao was his son, but he wanted to make up for their past.

“What’s that supposed to mean? A payment for services rendered?”

Chen Qiusu’s face turned pale, then red. Right then, his phone rang. He forced himself to stay composed, telling Yang Shao to wait a moment before answering the call.

Back then, running away was partly because Yang Shao was terrified, and partly because he felt too humiliated to stay. For years, he never considered asking the other person to take responsibility. Now, facing Chen Qiusu’s words head-on, he found them both laughable and pathetic.

Whoever had called Chen Qiusu sounded urgent. He frowned, didn’t even have time to end the call, and gestured with his eyes to Yang Shao that he had to leave. Then he got up and walked out of the fast-food restaurant.

Watching Chen Qiusu’s figure disappear into the distance, Yang Shao let out a breath of relief. Thankfully, he hadn’t been forced to accept a pile of money; otherwise, he wouldn’t have known how to respond.

Gripping the condensation-covered cup of cola, Yang Shao took another sip. It was already watered down, and he muttered self-deprecatingly, “Damn it, if he really gave me money, I probably would’ve taken it.”

After finishing what was left of Yang Tao’s kid’s meal, Yang Shao checked the time, grabbed the tape recorder he had bought for his cousin, and headed toward the children’s play area.

The play area was tucked in a corner of the fast-food restaurant. It wasn’t large, but it was enough space for the kids to have fun. However, at some point, a burly alpha had entered the area.

Just as Yang Shao was about to call Yang Tao to put his shoes back on and leave, the alpha began competing with Yang Tao for a rocking horse. How could a child possibly win against an adult? With a push, the alpha sent Yang Tao stumbling backward, his head hitting the wall with a loud thud.

The alpha placed the rocking horse in front of his own child and only glanced at Yang Tao, who was momentarily stunned by the hit. Dizzy and unsteady on his feet, Yang Tao began to sway.

“Yang Tao!” Yang Shao rushed over, shoving the alpha aside to reach Yang Tao. Feeling the back of Yang Tao’s head, he found a large lump.

Perhaps his father’s voice brought Yang Tao back to his senses, or maybe the pain in his head finally registered. Either way, Yang Tao’s lips quivered, and he burst into tears.

“Damn it!” Yang Shao dragged Yang Tao to a corner and flung the tape recorder player at the alpha’s head.

The tape recorder player wasn’t entirely made of metal and didn’t have much force behind it, but it still sparked a fight. The alpha, being an adult and an alpha at that, quickly gained the upper hand against Yang Shao, who could only use one arm properly. The onlookers tried to intervene, but the fight escalated. Yang Tao, terrified, kept crying out for his dad.

Spotting an opening, Yang Shao landed a kick on the alpha’s stomach, but the alpha retaliated with a punch, sending both of them to the ground. As they struggled to get up, the alpha grabbed the nearby rocking horse, intending to smash it over Yang Shao’s head—only for his wrist to be suddenly seized.

“Put it down,” came a calm but commanding voice.

Chen Qiusu had received a call from his mother about his grandmother’s latest outburst. Apparently, his refusal to attend a blind date had caused her to throw a fit in the hospital, claiming she couldn’t face her ancestors. Left with no choice, Chen Qiusu had to head over.

However, halfway there, he realized he hadn’t left a proper contact for Yang Shao, so he turned back.

Their table was empty, though the leftover food hadn’t been cleared. Instead, a crowd had gathered near the sink. Amid the chaos, Chen Qiusu thought he heard Yang Tao crying.

Pushing through the crowd, he arrived just as the alpha raised the rocking horse. Instinctively, Chen Qiusu intervened.

The alpha, face twisted with anger and embarrassment, turned to confront him. But Chen Qiusu’s grip was ironclad, and the sound of his wrist cracking under the pressure made him drop the rocking horse with a clatter.

With the weapon on the ground, the previously hesitant restaurant manager finally stepped forward. “Please stop fighting! What happened here?”

Chen Qiusu glanced at Yang Shao, who was cleaning the blood from his face at the sink. His irritation was quickly overshadowed by concern when he noticed the injuries.

Meanwhile, Yang Tao sobbed pitifully. Chen Qiusu knelt down to comfort him. “Yang Tao, don’t cry.”

“Uncle Chen… my head hurts…”

Following Yang Tao’s pointing finger, Chen Qiusu gently felt the bump on the back of his head. Piecing together the situation from the murmurs of the crowd, he turned to see Yang Shao back on his feet, having already finished cleaning the blood from his face.

Yang Shao felt Chen Qiusu’s gaze but didn’t turn around. He could already imagine the judgment in his eyes—that he was a terrible influence on his child. Whatever. He didn’t care what Chen Qiusu thought anymore.

Wiping his face, Yang Shao pointed at the injured alpha. “Don’t even think about running.”

The alpha, gearing up for another outburst, hesitated as Chen Qiusu spoke in an unhurried tone, “Call the police. This incident happened in your restaurant. If he tries to leave, your establishment will be held responsible. For now, I’m taking the child to the hospital.”

Hearing this, the alpha, who had been trying to bluff his way out, suddenly lost his nerve. “Fine, I’ll go too. I want my injuries checked!”

“Sure, go ahead,” Chen Qiusu said, taking out his phone to call his driver. After instructing him to send someone to handle the situation, he left the restaurant with Yang Shao and Yang Tao.

Outside, Yang Shao wanted to leave immediately, unwilling to endure further humiliation in front of Chen Qiusu. But Yang Tao was still cradled in Chen Qiusu’s arms.

“We should take Yang Tao to the hospital for a check-up. Kids can’t always articulate what’s wrong.”

This time, Yang Shao didn’t argue. Defeated, he followed Chen Qiusu into the car like a stray dog. The presence of another person in the driver’s seat only made him more uncomfortable.

The driver, professional as ever, didn’t look their way. “Boss, I’ve arranged for someone to handle the situation.”

“Good. Head to the hospital.”

The confined space and familiar scent of Chen Qiusu’s pheromones seemed to calm Yang Tao. He propped himself up on Chen Qiusu’s shoulder, spotted the bloodstains on his dad’s shirt, and began crying again.

“Daddy… you’re bleeding…”

Yang Shao tried to reach out to touch Yang Tao’s head but hesitated, remembering he’d complained of pain. Instead, he feigned nonchalance. “Alright, stop crying like your dad’s dead. I’m fine.”

Just as he finished speaking, blood began dripping from his nose. Panicking at the thought of dirtying the car and being unable to afford compensation, he moved to wipe it away with his shirt—only for Chen Qiusu to grab his chin and stop him.

Chen Qiusu’s actions weren’t particularly forceful, but with one hand, he held a tissue and gently wiped Yang Shao’s nosebleed. “No matter what, you shouldn’t fight in front of a child. You’ll scare them.”

Yang Shao tried to dodge Chen Qiusu’s hand, only to realize the car door behind him left him nowhere to retreat.

“Don’t move,” Chen Qiusu ordered, his tone slightly commanding.

Yang Shao decided to just give up and stop resisting.

What Chen Qiusu said was true—it would indeed frighten Yang Tao. But who could swallow their anger when someone hit their child in front of them?

“If someone hits my son in front of me, how can I not hit back?” he muttered. Alpha or not, even the King of Heaven would leave with a few bruises after that.

Chen Qiusu tossed the bloodstained tissue into the trash. While he could empathize with Yang Shao, he pointed out calmly, “Your old injuries haven’t even healed yet, and you’re picking fights again. Before getting into a fight, think about whether you can take care of yourself. If you get hurt, what’s going to happen to Yang Tao?”

Yang Shao didn’t argue back. He glanced at Yang Tao’s head, which now sported a large bump. “He’s not very bright to begin with. What if he damages his brain?”

“My clever brain… boohoo…” Yang Tao hugged his head and buried his face in Chen Qiusu’s chest.

The car drove for a while before stopping in front of a hospital Yang Shao had never heard of. Before he could react, nurses were already outside, waiting for them.

Still lost in thought, Yang Shao saw that Chen Qiusu had already carried Yang Tao out of the car. Left with no choice, he reluctantly followed.